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The Newborn Church

Introduction

Gathered here are all the texts in which Colin or other early Marists speak of the early Church, with the exception of those already contained in the above dossier on “Mary, the Support of the Church,” and in the dossier “At the End as in the Beginning,” to be found further below. The texts here are presented in two sections: “Our only model: the early Church” and “Our models: Mary and the apostles.”

Our only model: the early Church

Text 20

June 4, 1826. Courveille. Letter to the community at the Hermitage, praising the Trappist monastery of Aiguebelle, where he is living. [OM 152, 8]:

I have not been less struck by that perfect union that reigns among them, by that charity, worthy of the first times of the Church, which makes all Christians one heart and one soul, by that holy kindness they have for one another, by that continual attention to help one another on all occasions; they never meet without greeting each other with a profound inclination of the head, always in a great silence; it is easy to see after all that they have for each other a great respect and a love worthy of the true disciples of Jesus Christ. Which makes me say with the psalmist: Behold how good and how pleasant where brothers dwell as one.

Text 21

April 8-14, 1838. Colin. Conversation at table. [Mayet 1, 29 = OM 425, 1-6]:

[1]

“Twelve of us signed a brief formulary.

[2]

“The Society does not take any other as a model. The beginnings of the Society are like those of the Church. Those who began it were without learning, without talents.

[3]

“But it is necessary that the others seek to become educated.

[4]

“An educated man will produce more fruit than one who is holier, provided however that he has the spirit of God, because God wants us to use the ordinary means.” (Another time he said: “Of two men who are equally holy, the more learned one will produce more fruit.”)

[5]

“Oh! you young men, you must seek an education; use every opportunity; but don’t rely on that, otherwise!...

[6]

“Only four persevered.”

Text 22

September 18, 1838. Colin. To the Marists of Belley. [Mayet 1, 9 = OM 430 = FS 10]:

On his return from that retreat, he said, “Nevertheless, it is to Belley, this little corner, that the most important letters arrive from Rome and elsewhere, and it is from this little spot among the mountains that they go out. Who would have believed it? Who would have believed that the Society would come to birth in this corner?” Someone remarked, “No order has ever begun like this in a small town.” “Yes there was one,” he said, “but only one: the order of the Church. Nazareth was its cradle. Jesus, Mary and Joseph: there you have the Church coming into being. It began there.”

Text 23

1838-1839. Colin. Context not indicated. [Mayet 1, 19 = OM 453, 1 = FS 20, 1]:

“The early days of the Society are like those of the Church. At one moment circumcision is permitted, later it is forbidden; at one moment eating of meat sacrificed to idols is permitted, later it is not. Little by little things become established, and discipline is worked out and becomes uniform only with the passage of time. It is the same in the Society.”

Text 24

May 18, 1840. Champagnat. Spiritual Testament. [OM 417, 3]:

I also beg you, my very dear Brothers, with all the affection of my soul and by all the affection you have for me, keep ever alive among you the charity of Christ. Love one another as Jesus Christ has loved you. Let there be among you but one same heart and one same spirit. Let them say of the Little Brothers of Mary as they said of the first Christians: “See how they love one another!” ... That is the most ardent desire of my heart at this last moment of my life. Yes, my dearest Brothers, hear these last words of your Father; they are those of our most beloved Savior: Love one another.

Text 25

Spring 1841. Colin. Remarks to Mayet. [Mayet 1, 286 = FS 42, 3]:

“If the world speaks against us, we should not be surprised. The apostles were not liked by the rich, or those with power: they turned to poor people like themselves. Then God raised up a Saint Paul, full of magnanimity and afraid of nothing, who turned his attention to everyone. They were right in saying that he was not lettered, that he did not speak well: it did not matter... He did not concern himself with what people said about him. As for ourselves, we do not take any congregation for our model, we have no other model than the new-born Church. The Society began like the Church; we must be like the apostles and those who joined them and were already numerous: One heart and one soul. They loved each other like brothers. And then, ah! no one knows what devotion the apostles had for the blessed Virgin! What tenderness for this divine mother! How they had recourse to her! Let us imitate them: let us see God in everything.”

Text 26

March 1842. Mayet, summary of his findings to date on the origins of the Society of Mary. [Mayet 1, 735 = OM 535, 24 and addition k]:

[24]

“The clergy was opposed to the Marists, and so they ought,” Fr. Colin used to say with humility. There were those who said: “It is the second volume of the Jesuits bound in ass’s hide.” Others accused them of being Jansenists. People mocked them and no one reproached the mockers.

[Addition k]

In effect, the first members were quite poor. “The Society began like the Church,” Fr. Colin used to say.

Text 27

April 1842. Colin, at the end of the chapter meeting. [Mayet 1, 723m]:

[1]

“It is a great consolation for us to see how the good God blessed us during this meeting. We were: one heart. Behold a great sign that the good God was with us.

[2]

“This will be a model for the future; we can say as did the apostles: ‘It has seemed thus to the Holy Spirit and to us.’ We were here as in a cenacle, Mary was at our head.”

Text 28

September 27, 1846. Colin, conversation in the refectory. [Mayet 4, 250 = FS 119, 9]:

Then returning to the first article, as if unknown and hidden, he said: “Really in actual fact, Messieurs, it is the way to take over everything. It was the approach that the Church followed, and you know that we must have no other model than the early Church. The Society too is beginning with simple men, poor men, but see what the Church achieved later.” Father Eymard then said, “A man of great judgment told me, ‘Your Society is really beginning in the way the Church did.’”

Text 29

1846. Colin. Context not indicated. [Mayet 4, 45m = OM 652]:

He repeated in 1846 that he had composed his whole rule without having read that of the Jesuits. He said that the Church which was founded by Jesus Christ is the model for all religious societies and communities.

Text 30

September 11-18, 1849. Colin, speaking to a meeting of preachers. [Mayet 4, 467m = FS 178]:

During the general retreat of 1849, at a special meeting for preachers, Father Colin said, “My consolation is that the cradle of our Society had no model in any society. It was copied only on the model of the Church. The Society did not have the time for training and learning in the beginning. The apostles, as soon as they received the Holy Spirit, were obliged to go their separate ways without having time to prepare themselves further. It has been the same for us. But now we must lay down solid foundations.”

Text 31

1850-1851. Eymard. Rule for the Third Order of Mary of the Interior Life. [APM, Third Order collection = LM 173, 20]:

A holy and generous charity ought to reign among all the members of the Third Order. Like the first Christians, they will have but one heart and one soul in the service of Jesus and Mary.

Text 32

1850-1851. Eymard. Spiritual rules for the perfect tertiary in the world. [APM 921.147, Cahier C, #7, pp. 67-69 = LM 174, 74]:

A tender and holy charity ought to reign among the members of the Third Order, in the love of Mary, their common mother, having, as did the first faithful, but one heart and one soul in the service of Jesus and Mary, encouraging one another and supporting one another in virtue and in the spirit of their vocation, loving to offer service, being pleased to visit sick or afflicted members, and never forgetting in their prayers those whom God has called to himself, and who may be suffering in purgatory. A tertiary must be recognized everywhere by his christian and fraternal charity; each must work at his own sanctification in the spirit of the rules, and must make them the frequent subject of his meditation; he must practice it with simplicity and with confidence in Jesus who only demands good will of him; he must measure his progress less in the fruits of virtue than in his generous constancy until the end.

Text 33

July 18, 1867. Colin to Mayet. [Mayet ND 2, 14 = Coste, Nazareth T32]:

[1]; “If the Society has not its original spirit, I would prefer that it did not exist.

[2]; “Without its own spirit, it no longer has any raison d’être.

[3]; “The Society’s first intention was to imitate the life of Nazareth, the life of the apostles.

[4]; “The spirit of poverty should animate us.” [There follows a development on poverty].

Text 34

Spring, 1869. Jeantin. Extract from “Account of the origin and foundation of the Society of Mary,” drawn up by Fr. Jeantin on the basis of reminiscences of Fr. Colin. [OM 819, 40 = Coste, Nazareth T35. This text is the basis for texts OM 820, 74; OM 821, 61; OM 827, 6]:

From his arrival in Cerdon until 1821, he was busy drawing up the Constitutions of the Society of Mary. For this work, he had no other help than what the Gospel has left us on the life of the Holy Family at Nazareth and on the first missions of the apostles.

Text 35

1869. Colin. Words of Colin reported by Jeantin as an addition to the above “Account...” [OM 819, 41a]:

He said in 1869: “I received the order to consider only the apostles and no other religious society.”

Our models: Mary and the apostles

Text 36

c. 1823. Colin. Fragment of primitive Rule. (See parallel texts in later editions of the Constitutions.) [AT I, g, 5]:

In council, the superior shall always express his opinion last, that is after all the others, and the opinion which has more votes shall prevail. The superior himself, however, shall propose subjects for the various offices or works of the Society; he may even say what he has it in him to say so that the councilors might go along with these nominations. If the votes are equally divided between both sides, it is lawful for the superior to choose the side he wants, but he is invited and even beseeched, for the sake of humility, to choose the side which is contrary to his own. For, Mary always followed the will of others rather than her own.

Text 37

1833. Colin. From the “Summarium Regularum S.M.” (See parallel texts in later editions of the Constitutions.) [AT I, s, 23]:

In their hearts and in their works, let them obey the superior as though it were Christ commanding; their obedience is to be so prompt and complete that they may be surpassed in this virtue by no one and may truly be called sons of Mary, who always subordinated herself to those with whom she was living.

Text 38

1838 or 1839. Colin speaking to the Marists of Belley urging the practice of modesty. [Mayet 1, 232f]:

“Oh! Messieurs, look, then, at the blessed Virgin, she who was the Queen of Heaven: she was employed in lowly tasks, in the kitchen: there is our model. I like very much what a very holy nun said, that the blessed Virgin had so much respect for the apostles, the successors of her son, that when they entered her house to consult her on the affairs of the Church, she knelt before them and spoke to them only out of obedience, when they ordered her to do so. Ah! Messieurs, let us respect, let us respect the other bodies.”

Text 39

1838-1839. Colin. Discussion on politics, in the refectory at the Capucinière. [Mayet 1, 467-469 = FS 31, 3]:

Father Colin said, “What do you see in the Gospel to support your answer?” “What do you see which condemns it?” replied the theologian. Stirred by this, Father Colin quoted the passage of Saint Paul: ‘Let everyone be subject to the higher authorities’. “Scripture,” he said, “does not distinguish between de facto power and power by right. It is to the de facto power that we must submit. Otherwise public peace would be disturbed. How could anyone in conscience give approval to the undertaking of a man who, in order to restore a prince, even a legitimate one, to the throne intends first of all to create turmoil, stir up rebellions and cause great bloodshed? Let people offer prayers and devotions for the prince’s return, for a new flourishing of good principles, all well and good! That is the way, the acceptable way, the best way and even the most effective way. Yes, if a quarter of France, or rather — since there would after all be fewer than that — if only a small part of the population entered into fervent prayer, they would obtain all they wanted. But for the rest, we must submit. What did the first Christians do? During the first three centuries, were there many legitimate princes? Is not theirs still the conduct of the Church, and what do they say in Rome?”

Text 40

1838-1839. Colin. Spiritual identification with Mary in her actions. [Mayet 1, 509 = FS 33]:

He often said that people do not pay sufficient honor to the blessed Virgin in the services she rendered her son during his childhood. He recommended this practice to the Marists and to the boys in the college. He had obtained many consoling results from it.

Text 41

February 22, 1839. Colin. Extract from a letter to Champagnat. [LColin 390222.Cha, 1f]:

[1]

Four or five times now I have invited you, or have had someone ask you, to send a brother to Fr. Chanut in the diocese of Bordeaux.

[2]

My demand, so often repeated, shows you the importance that I attach to this act of obedience that I expect of you. Remember that Mary our mother, whom we ought to take as a model, after the ascension of her divine son, busied herself entirely with the needs of the apostles. There we have one of the first aims of the congregation of the brothers and of the Marist sisters, in regard to the priests of the Society, so that these latter, entirely free of temporal cares, might give themselves more freely to the salvation of souls. A brother at the service of the priests of the Society does twenty times more good, in my opinion, than if he were employed in a municipality where, thank God, the means for instructing young people are not lacking today.

Text 42

January 2, 1842. Colin. To some confreres. [Mayet 1, 534]:

On January 2, 1842, he brought the Rev. Frs. Jallon, Favre, Dussurgey, Lagniet and Eymard together in the so-called house of the Capuchins and spoke to them in words burning with zeal, saying to them that zeal is the essential quality of priests, of Marists; that Marists must be like the apostles; that the apostles were only 12 in number and that they had converted the world, “and we, Messieurs, we already number 40!”

Text 43

September 27, 1842. Colin. Conference during the general retreat. [Mayet 4, 138 = FS 60, 1]:

“Let each one work for the good of the Society by his conduct and his prayers. Look at the blessed Virgin! See how she hastened the coming of God by her burning desire. When she learned that she had been chosen to be his mother, what an effort she made to cooperate! When Jesus Christ was born, he was the object of all her thoughts and affections. After his death, her sole thought was the extension and development of the mystery of the Incarnation. That is the sign by which, precisely, you can recognize a Marist. But this desire must be prudent. He does not turn away vocations, but encourages them. If he sees about him someone who could profitably work in the Society of Mary, he will perhaps say a word or two, but without departing from the spirit of the Society. This concern, Messieurs, this interest and attachment, should extend to the other branches of the Society: we all form one body. Without any collusion, everything appeared at the same time and without effort. Let us then love the family that God has given us.”

Text 44

December 29, 1844. Colin. Remarks in council. [Mayet 3, 411 = FS 85, 2]:

“Indeed, Messieurs, the blessed Virgin (as the Church tells us) is the channel of graces, the Queen of Apostles, and what great good she did for souls. Yet in this world she was hidden and as it were unknown.”

Text 45

November 25, 1846. Colin. As he was considering leaving shortly for Rome. [Mayet 6, 457 = FS 133, 2]:

“I recommend very strongly that the superior call his council together whenever he has some business to deal with. I recommend that very strongly, and I wish it to take firm root in the Society. When this point was under examination” (he did not say “when I was examining” out of modesty), “when this point was under examination during the drafting of the Rule, I know it was stressed for three reasons: 1. It would be a comfort to the superior. 2. Such conduct would show a diffidence towards oneself. 3. To imitate the blessed Virgin after the ascension of her divine Son. Although she held the first place when the apostles met to consider the interests of the Church, she often said nothing, she who read all in the heart of her divine Son. And when finally the apostles turned to her, Mary, always the last to speak, would say to them, ‘My lords and masters, it seems to me that one could do such and such. This would be in accord with the spirit of my Son.’ And by council, Messieurs, I do not mean a council of one or two, no. One or two are soon won over to one’s own opinion. I would want a gathering of several — not all, for that should not be done and would not be a council, but several. For myself, I am not afraid to hear out those who are not of the same opinion as myself. It is often one of the least who gives the best advice.”

Text 46

June 29, 1847. Colin. To the novices at La Favorite. [Mayet 5, 702 = FS 140, 4]:

“People are bored, too, at doing nothing, for we are made for action and we feel a need for it. But look at our mother after the Ascension of the divine master. She is the support, the director of the newborn Church. She is called Queen of the Apostles. Yet she seemed to be doing nothing, although she did more by her prayers than the Apostles by their preaching. Look also at our Lord Jesus Christ in Nazareth for thirty years. These are your models.”

Text 47

June 29, 1847. Colin. To the novices at La Favorite. [Mayet 5, 704 = FS 140, 13]:

“Come, let us take courage! Look upon yourselves as the apostles, gathered together with the blessed Virgin in the cenacle. Make good use of this time. Warm yourselves at the fire of God’s love. Have courage!”

Text 48

August 22, 1847. Colin. Conference at the retreat. [Mayet 7, 187 = FS 141, 18]:

“And our heavenly mother, she was the light, the counsel, the consolation of the newborn Church. And did she create a stir? The Gospel says little about her, very little, yet it was she who drew down graces from heaven upon the earth. Let us imitate these holy models in their zeal and their humility. Let us go everywhere, let us do all the good that we can, all the while remaining unassuming and hidden. But the Society, Messieurs, must also apply itself to learning, otherwise it would never attain its goal.”

Text 49

December 4, 1847. Colin. Exhortation at table. [Mayet 4, 453 = FS 146, 5]:

After lunch, someone said to him, “But, Father, when the Society comes to have a real influence on its age, surely it will be impossible for its name not to spread abroad, for it not to be spoken of?” “And the blessed Virgin,” came the reply, “was she spoken about when on this earth? Yet who had the greatest influence upon her age, upon the birth of the early Church? It was she who directed the apostles, she who converted the whole world.” “Yes,” the Marist rejoined, “but now the whole world rings with her name.” At this Father Colin was surprised and a little taken aback. He started to laugh, saying, “That is true, but now she is in paradise, ...she is in paradise.” This was no reply, and he knew it, and the look in the eyes of his questioner said as much too. He added, therefore, “Well, they will speak of our modesty, of our humility. We shall do a lot of good, but let us not look for glory in the eyes of men.”

Text 50

January 24, 1848. Colin. After announcing in the refectory the death of brother Blaise. [Mayet 7, 625f = FS 154, 4]:

“Messieurs, the times we live in are in some ways more difficult than those of the apostles: look at Europe, what confusion! How greatly we need the help of the blessed Virgin. Let us imitate her, following the spirit of our vocation, let us hide ourselves so as to do good. The Rule says we should devote ourselves to all kinds of ministry, to all works of zeal. Nevertheless, we should behave so as to be unknown and hidden. I was saying to a gentleman yesterday that nowadays there is only one way to do good: to stay hidden. The good people are timid, the wicked have the upper hand. If someone tries to do good in a certain way, they are at once arrested and find themselves under the feet of the wicked, powerless. Did not the blessed Virgin remain hidden all her life? She did good for the Church without showing herself. Our Lord himself buried himself for thirty years in oblivion. He showed himself for three years only, when the time came. But even then he knew how to withdraw and slip away in the mountains to be alone. He hid himself when they wanted to make him king, and even when they wished to stone him — his hour had not yet come — he made himself invisible and passed through the midst of his enemies. For the Society too, the time, the hour for making an appearance may come, when God wishes! ...One day too ... [he did not finish]. But as for us, let us be unknown and indeed even hidden. Let us do nothing to attract the honor of men to ourselves. What can man give us? Are we to work for the honor that human glory will bring?”

Text 51

January 30, 1848. Colin. Remarks to the council on the question of approbation by the current government. [Mayet 7, 354 = FS 155, 4]:

““Messieurs, the Church conducts its business and deals with this government. Let us do as the Church does. The times we live in are in a way worse than those of the apostles. Nevertheless, the apostles said nothing, went about their business, and worked for the Church. I shall touch up the Rule and I intend to forbid anything connected with politics. It is up to the bishops to take the initiative. We are auxiliary troops, which does not prevent us doing great good, but on the contrary is the means to it.”

Text 52

January 30, 1848. Colin. Remarks to the council at Puylata. [Mayet 6, 720fm]:

He said to us: “Messieurs, one does not find, one cannot cite one single word on Jesus Christ or on the apostles which indicates that they ever got involved in politics. We don’t meditate enough on his life. When Herod wanted to kill Jesus, Mary fled. There is our model. The apostles preached doctrine, they took care of people. I am not at all inclined to approve the conduct of the Jesuits who have published the Monopole universitaire; it was up to the Bishops to take the initiative.”

Text 53

February 29, 1848. Colin. To the Puylata community. [Mayet 7, 601f = FS 157]:

On Tuesday February 29th, Father Colin told us, “We should remember our maxim: unknown and indeed even hidden. Today this is the only way to do good, we should bear that in mind. Let us imitate our holy Mother who did so much good during her life and the apostolic life of her divine Son, but without anyone talking about it. Let us not be like those who are intent on showing off and on having people talk about them. I do not want the Society ever to have any mansions, and I repeat that so that everyone will understand it well;” (at that moment he turned to me and gave a significant look, which seemed to say: “If you sometimes note down what I say, note that”) “it is in the Rule. Then let us take our Lord Jesus Christ as our model. He was always surrounded by the poor: the poor have the Gospel preached to them. I should make one thing clear: I would like our men to preach well, certainly, but I would have you know that I do not want (at least at the moment) illustrious preachers like Father Lacordaire. If they come, I am not saying that I would refuse them, but that is not necessary for doing good. Look at the Society: it does a great deal for the glory of God, it gives many missions which are very successful. People ask for us on all sides, we arouse no animosity. Why all this? Because the Society is unassuming.”

Text 54

September 14, 1849. Colin. Conference at the retreat. [Mayet 7, 719f = FS 175, 2]:

“In the pulpit let us never touch on these matters, let us make no allusions to current affairs. I know that certain theories are entering politics today which are entirely opposed to Catholicism. Alas, that is the destruction of the faith! One might say that we are nearing those unhappy days of which the apostle speaks. People want to substitute a new justice for that of God. Nevertheless, we must not tackle these errors head-on. If you attack them too directly you prevent people who approve of and share in these opinions, from heeding our arguments, from being converted. No, Messieurs, do not launch yourselves into these debates. Convert them, and they will no longer be socialists. The word of God has a marvelous effect. Preach it therefore, as I said yesterday, in all its purity and simplicity, just as the apostles did. In their time, as in ours, there were opinions and political theories, but they did not get involved in them. They proclaimed the truth, and they added, ‘Whoever believes this will be saved, whoever does not believe will be condemned.’ Let us do as they did. At meals, if a Deo gratias is given, let there be no talk of politics.”

Text 55

September 17, 1849. Colin. Conference at the retreat. [Mayet 7, 730 = FS 176, 3]:

“Listen, my dear confreres. Is there not an analogy between the mission of the apostles and our mission? On the one hand it is the Son who sends, on the other, the Mother, and is not the spirit of the Mother that of the Son? It was she who called you, it is she who sends you out, she who promises and gives you her spirit. In these hazy times, when all the ideas of faith are tainted and destroyed by being mixed with the most monstrous errors, in these days we are on top of a volcano, a volcano of all the passions. People have eyes and do not see, ears and do not hear. The most absurd errors pass for truths. Well, it is in the midst of this century that the blessed Virgin shows herself. She is saying to us: ‘My children, it is not you who chose yourselves, it was I who chose you. I know your weakness, your troubles. The enemies you have to overcome are no less numerous, no less to be feared than those the apostles encountered. They are perhaps even more fearsome, for this age has misused many graces, and nothing withers the heart so much as misuse of graces. But I am with you.’”

Text 56

September 18, 1850. Colin. To the retreatants. [Mayet 8, 398 = FS 182, 60]:

Then Reverend Father spoke of how fortunate we were to bear the name of Mary, and of the zeal with which we should imitate her. “She did not create a great stir during her earthly life,” he said, “but how much good she did and still does for the Church! There is our model. Let us clothe ourselves in her spirit.”

Text 57

September 3-10, 1854. Colin. To the retreatants. [Mayet ND 1, 56f = FS 190, 2f]:

[2]

“In all things let us look to Mary, let us imitate her life at Nazareth. She did more than the apostles for the newborn Church; she is Queen of the apostles, but she did it without any stir, she did it above all by her prayers.

[3]

“I urge you, preserve that spirit among you, without troubling about other congregations which do not concern us. When anyone speaks to me about this, I say: ‘But we must have a different spirit, the spirit of Mary, humble and hidden.’ I said that she did more than the apostles by her prayers. Let us therefore unite silence and prayer with action. The Society of Mary desires that we, her children, should be missionaries of action, and missionaries of prayer.”

Text 58

1869-1870. Colin. Jeantin: Memorandum on the origins of the S.M.... [APM 131.2 = OM 819, 146]:

Then Reverend Father spoke of how fortunate we were to bear the name of Mary, and of the zeal with which we should imitate her. “She did not create a great stir during her earthly life,” he said, “but how much good she did and still does for the Church! There is our model. Let us clothe ourselves in her spirit.”

Text 59

May 19, 1880. Fr. Stanislas Trotin. “Corrected” redaction of Cozon’s postulatum. [APM 322.568 = LM 435, 7]:

Our Venerable Fr. Founder hopes that through the Third Order, as he presents it to us, the Society of Mary will receive from its august Queen a fertile blessing to shower the entire world with graces of which this Virgin is the channel. That is why he wanted to give it the broadest means of propagation by confiding it to the parish priests [i.e. diocesan clergy] who will thus find it to their advantage. In the Third Order thus understood we will better practice that humility and that abnegation which our constitutions recommend to us in the article On the Spirit of the Society. We will be hidden under the parish priests’ activity; we will do good without show, like Mary who, after the ascension of her son into heaven, was the soul of the Church and yet the servant of the apostles. We will also consider ourselves as servants and not as masters, as helpers and not as those in charge.